Wales' hopes finally dashed

Wales' hopes of claiming a place in Euro 2004 were finally dashed today as they lost their battle to have Russia thrown out of the competition for a drugs offence.

UEFA twice rejected Wales' appeals to award the play-off match between the sides 3-0 in their favour after Russia midfielder Igor Titov tested positive for the banned substance Bromantan after the first leg in Moscow on November 15, and now the Court of Arbitration for Sport have also dismissed the appeal.

Titov was an unused substitute in the goalless first leg and then played for just under an hour in the second leg at the Millennium Stadium, when his side secured a 1-0 win to book their passage to next month's finals in Portugal.

A statement from the FAW read: "The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeal filed by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) against the decision of the UEFA's Appeals Body of March 19 2004 rejecting FAW's application in relation to the play-off qualifying match for Euro 2004 between Wales and Russia.

"Further to the positive doping test of the Russian player Igor Titov (who has been suspended by UEFA for one year), the FAW requested that the first and/or second legs of this play-off match be awarded to Wales 3-0 and/or that Russia be disqualified from Euro 2004 and be replaced by Wales."